Photographic contact printer



Aug. 12, 1958 H. KLEINSTRA PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTACT PRINTER Filed Jun 5, 1953 United States Patent PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTACT PRINTER Harm Kleinstra, Utrecht, Netherlands, assignor, by mesne assignments, to A. B. Dick Company, Niles, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 5, 1953, Serial No. 359,901 Claims priority, application Netherlands June 7, 1952 6 Claims. (Cl. 95-73) The invention relates to an exposure apparatus for making exposures, said apparatus comprising a box or like container in which a number of sources of light are arranged, as well as a frame serving to support the sheet or like object to be copied and the sensitive sheet or like object, and aims at providing an apparatus of this type into which the sheet or like object to be copied and the sensitive sheet or like object can be introduced and also removed in an easy and rapid manner.

This is achieved by the exposure apparatus according to the present invention in that the frame is supported against the under side of the top wall of the box and is connected, 'at least at one side, with a wall adapted to be moved or deformed in such a manner that after moving this wall in order to open the box the frame assumes an oblique position.

In order to ensure that the sheets or like object laid on the frame are lying quite flat between the frame and the under side of the top wall of the apparatus, said frame can be provided according to the invention with at least one adjustable pressing means, so that the pressure with which the frame is pressed against said under side can be adjusted at will.

A favourable embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the frame is hingedly mounted at its side opposite to the movable or deformable wall. In consequence thereof the frame always assumes the same position when the apparatus is open, so that it is possible to give its inclination the most favourable value.

A simple apparatus according to the invention can be provided if the movable or deformable wall consists of two or more portions hingedly connected with one another, of which the uppermost portion, is hingedly connected with the frame and the lowermost portion is hingedly connected with the box.

If the movable or deformable wall consists of two por- 'tions hingedly connected with one another it is possible according to the invention to provide each of them with a grip, said grips being positioned so closely to one another that for the purpose of closing the movable or deformable wall they can be manipulated with one single hand.

According to the invention it is recommendable to provide a pad of rubber or some other elastic material between the glass plate and the top wall of the box.

As in the apparatus according to the invention the top wall of the box is available this feature offers the possibility of mounting a developing apparatus thereon. In this manner one obtains an exposure and developing apparatus combined into one compact unit. If a developing and copying apparatus with a movable liquid storage container acting according to the bird cage water bottle principle is used, the bottom or a projecting part of the apparatus can be used as supporting means for said storage container in the non-operative position.

The invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, a vertical cross section of an apparatus according to the invention.

The apparatus shown in the drawing comprises a box 1 in which a number of sources 2 of light are placed. Against the bottom side of the top wall 3 of said box a frame has been provided which is hingedly secured at 5 to a beam 6. This beam is secured to the top wall 3 with the aid of spring urged pressing means 7. Between the lower end of these pressing means and the under side of the beam 6 a spring 8 has been provided. The pressing means are screw-threaded and provided with a nut so that the tension of the spring 8 may be adjusted.

In the frame 4 a glass plate 9 has been provided resting a against a pad 10 of rubber or some other elastic material. In this manner the sensitive paper and the positive are pressed well against the glass plate 9, said tension being adjustable at the back side of this last plate with the aid of the pressing means 7.

At the front side of the frame-4 a portion 11 of a closing means consisting of two hingedly interconnected portions 11, 12 is pivoted. The lower portion 12 of this closing means is also hingedly connected with an upright portion 13 of the front side of the box 1. The portions 11 and 12 of the closing means are provided with cooperating grips 14 and 15. These grips can be pressed together with one hand so that the box 1 can be quickly closed. A lever action is caused by the portions 11 and' 12. When the grips 14 and 15 are somewhat pushed backwardsa high pressure is already obtained on the glass plate 9.

When the closing means 11, 12 is pulled open with the aid of the grips 14, 15, the front of the frame 4 moves downwards and consequently assumes an oblique position, so that the sheets can be laid thereon and removed therefrom easily. The apparatus can be provided with a switch switching in the sources of light when the closing means is closed and a time switch can be provided for switching off the sources of light. The height of the portions 11 and 12 should naturally be chosen so that these portions and the frame can perform the required movements. As the upper face of the top wall is entirely available an apparatus 16 for developing and/or copying has been provided thereon, said apparatus being provided with a liquid storage container 17 acting on the bird cage water bottle principle, said container being adapted to be brought from the indicated operative position in a position in which the liquid available in the developing container 16 can flow into said liquid storage container. In this position the storage container can rest on a projecting portion of the bottom or of the side wall in question.

It is clear that the invention is not restricted to the above-mentioned embodiment shown in the drawing but the latter can be altered in many ways without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim: a

l. A device for the exposure of a light-sensitive sheet and an original for the production of copies thereof comprising an enclosure including a stationary, horizontally disposed top wall and a side wall dimensioned to have a width at least as great as the width of the said lightsensitive sheet and original and which is separable from the top wall across its upper edge, a rigid transparent plate adjacent the under side of the top wall and dimensioned to cover the major portion thereof from the side edge rearwardly to about the opposite edge, means pivotally supporting the edge of the'transpa'rent plate opposite the side wall for rocking movement between a raised and a lowered position of adjustment, an operative connection between the side edge of the transparent plate and the upper edge portion of said side 'wall, means for displacement of the upper portion of the said side wall vertically in the direction toward and away from the top wall between a raised and lowered position of adjustment concurrently to move the side edge of the transparent plate therewith to rock the transparent plate therewith about its pivot between its raised and lowered positions of adjustment whereby the front edge of the transparent plate and the upper edge of the side wall is spaced from the top wall to enable access to the area between the top wall and the transparent plate for displacement and removal of light-sensitive sheets and originals when in the lowered position of adjustment and whereby the transparent plate is brought into contacting relation with the top wall to compress the lightsensitive sheets and originals therebetween when in raised position, and illuminating means within the enclosure below the said transparent plate.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which means are provided for activation of the illuminating means responsive to movement of the transparent plate from lowered to raised position of adjustment.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 which includes a resilient cushioning member extending substantially throughout the entire under side of the top wall for effecting resilient engagement with the transparent plate when in raised position.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the side Walls terminate at a distance short of the top wall by an amount to provide an opening extending transversely between the top and side walls and in which the opening is dimensioned to correspond to the thickness of the transparent plate having the end portion extending therebetween.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 which includes means for mounting the pivotal supporting means for the transparent plate for movement vertically in the direction toward and away from the top wall and means constantly urging the pivotal supporting means upwardly in the direction toward the top wall.

6. A device for the exposure of a light-sensitive sheet and an original for the production of copies thereof comprising an enclosure including a stationary, horizontally disposed top wall and a side wall dimensioned to have a width at least as great as the width of the said lightsensitive sheet and original and which is separable from the top wall across its upper edge, a rigid transparent plate adjacent the under side of the top wall and dimensioned to cover the major portion thereof from the side edge rearwardly to about the opposite edge, means pivotally supporting the edge of the transparent plate opposite the side wall for rocking movement between a raised and a lowered position of adjustment, an operative connection between the side edge of the transparent plate and the upper edge portion of said side wall, means for displacement of the upper portion of the said side Wall vertically in the direction toward and away from the top 'wall between a raised and lowered position of adjustment concurrently to move the side edge of the transparent plate therewith the rock the transparent plate therewith about its pivot between its raised and lowered positions of adjustment whereby the front edge of the transparent plate and the upper edge of the side wall is spaced from the top wall to enable access to the area between the top wall and the transparent plate for displacement and removal of light-sensitive sheets and originals when in the lowered position of adjustment and whereby the transparent plate is brought into contacting relation with the top wall to compress the light-sensitive sheets and originals therebetween when in raised position, illuminating means within the enclosure below the said transparent plate, in which the means for displacement of the upper portion of the side 'wall comprises a pair of horizontally spaced sections forming the upper portion of the said side wall, a pivotal connection between the upper edge portion of the upper section and the adjacent edge portion of the transparent frame, a pivotal connection between the lower edge portion of the lower section and the underlying portion of the side wall, and a pivotal connection between the lower edge portion of the upper section and the upper edge portion of the lower section for folding the sections into each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 957,665 Ferguson May 10, 1910 1,822,489 Kanolt Sept. 8, 1931 1,838,312 Kanolt Dec. 29, 1931 2,301,239 Arndt Nov. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 154,210 Germany Sept. 9, 1903 21,990 Great Britain of 1910 9,123 Great Britain of 1912 564,593 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1944 

